How do I size my furnace?

When it’s time to upgrade your outdated furnace, it’s important to understand one size does not fit all. A system that is not sized properly for your home, will not only hurt your comfort but can lead to shortened life of your furnace, and leave you stuck with higher energy bills.

If you choose a furnace oversized for your space, you’ll start to run into short cycles. This means your oversized furnace heated your home too fast, turning off before the furnace can reach the right operating temperatures. An undersized or oversized system can lead to a shortened life span and cost you more in energy bills.

How can you be sure you know the correct furnace size for your home? Begin with a load calculation from the team at Three Rivers Heating and Cooling. A load calculation takes particulars from your home into consideration and measures the Btu (a number that indicates the heating capacity of a furnace) necessary to heat your space.

Some Things that Influence Furnace Size

• Square Footage—How big is the area your furnace will have to heat up? The technician will be sure to carefully measure the square footage of your home. Not every inch of your home may be included during this process. Often, it is more useful to account only for the space that needs heating.
• Home Insulation—Insulation assists in keeping warm air from leaving your home during the cold winter months. It also strongly affects energy efficiency and how large of a heating system you’ll need. Let the professionals from Three Rivers Heating and Cooling evaluate the insulation in your walls and attic. They’ll help you choose the ideal furnace for your house.
• Type of Window—Just like your walls, the particular type of windows in your home, frame type, glaze type, gas fills/spaces, etc. will play into what heating and cooling needs your home requires.
• Outdoor Climate—Factor in the range of weather you experience in Portland. You’ll want a furnace that can keep up with the conditions of your area every year, without overworking itself.

Don’t settle for ‘close enough’ when selecting your new furnace. Let the experts at Three Rivers Heating and Cooling help you find a system that will fit your home properly. When you’re ready to get started, call us at (503) 739-5400 or arrange an appointment online. Whether you have additional questions about furnace size or want to discuss options for your space, our experts are happy to help you out.